This year’s reflections is slightly different from last few years (2010, 2011 and 2012) in that I am actually writing this on the first day of 2014 instead of the last day of 2013.

Much happened in 2013. After leaving my previous job in June 2012 and joining my current company, much has happened with this job. I was given more projects and more responsibilities. It was not easy, since the new projects were given to me because the person who was handling these projects previously were asked to leave due to non-performance. I had to prove to everyone that I can handle them, and much time was spent repairing the broken relationship between the clients and company. The projects were also in a mess, and the two to three months spent trying to stabilising the projects were some of the most intense months ever. The results were not perfect, but I believe it has reached a point where it is much better than before. Salary increment and bonuses were insignificant, but I take comfort in the fact that at least there is salary increment and bonus. I am uncertain about staying long in this job though, partly because the new direction taken by the company seems to place more emphasis in other countries and not in Singapore, in fact, it seems the Singapore office is redundant in the overall plan. Also, I am getting ambitious, I do want to climb higher up the ladder, and the opportunities here seems limited. I believe in the new year, things will be clearer, especially with some new senior management coming in. In the meantime, I am always on the constant lookout for new opportunities.

Much has happened personally too. One of the resolution made in 2013 was a resounding success. I have been exercising regularly for the whole year, losing 15kg in the process, and getting healthier in the process. Eating clean and running regularly are working wonders for both the mind and body, and it has come to a point that I am feeling lethargic when I stop running due to injuries or weather. I also took part in races, completing my first half marathon in the SAFRA Bay Run, followed by my first 10km run in the Yellow Prison Run, and finally another half marathon in the Standard Chartered Singapore Marathon. For the new year, I want to be really serious about this whole running thing, to train seriously so as to improve my half marathon timing to 2hrs 30mins, and perhaps even run an overseas race, with the Perth City to Surf race in August or the Gold Coast Airport Marathon in July most likely. I will also want to continue to eat cleanly, and to stay healthy. The long term goal is to complete my first full marathon, and hopefully this can be accomplished in 2015.

Financially, I managed to put in place some kind of plan, though I only started on the plan in the first quarter of the year. I am not exactly happy with where it is going, mainly because I am still learning, and mistakes were made. There were also a few times, much more than what I would have liked, where I gave in to temptation and made a few unnecessary purchases. Savings have increased, and in a better state than 2012 though. For the new year, I want to be more disciplined, and I want to increase my liquidity mainly by putting most of my savings in cash or cash equivalent instruments. I foresee in the coming few years, there will be quite a few big amount purchases which will require a substantial outlay, with a new car being one since my current car will be 10 years old in 3 years time. I want to increase my savings for 2014 by 25% more than the amount I saved in 2013, quite a stretch, but I am determined to meet this goal.

The other 2013 resolutions made were not really working out. Firstly I have given up on the certification one, mainly because there is just not enough time left to actively pursue it, especially since there are other more important priorities. So the self growth part will be drop altogether for 2014. Instead this will be replaced by something simpler, to learn something new each day. I also really want to read more books, and the target 50 new books in the new year will still apply. I will also try to start on the charity bit, starting with something small and easy to accomplish, perhaps regular monetary contributions to WWF. I did two vacations overseas in 2013, and while they were really enjoyable, they were to countries and cities that I have visited before. Also, I was not really watching the costs. For the new year, more vacations overseas, to countries and cities not visited before, and to watch the costs of these vacations.

I have decided to have a new resolution for 2014 as a result of significant event in 2013, and that is to love more, to care more, to pamper more, and to spoil more.

2012 was the year that I survived and taken baby steps. 2013 was the year that I could finally stand up straight and walk, perhaps finally able to visualise the light at the end of the tunnel. And most importantly, there were times that I even smiled.